50 Must Have Tips for Moving to Lisbon

Moving to a new country can be hard, confusing and scary. I went through those feelings in that exact order multiple times when I officially moved to Lisboa earlier this year. It had been 6 years in the making and I am finally beginning to get a foothold here in Portugal. Blanca has been asking me to put together a massive “value bomb” guide to the tidbits I’ve learned in my expat experience, so I put together these 50 Tips for Moving to Lisbon. I look at this as a way to remind myself of the things I experienced when coming to this amazing country, and also an easy way so I don’t forget how to do stuff.

50 Must-Have Tips when Moving to Lisbon

While Portuguese is similar to Spanish, it is a very different language. Why? Portuguese has significantly more sounds making it a more difficult language to pronounce. There are also plenty of false friends. What are those? Words that look and sound the same but have completely different meanings; for example, barata means cheap in Spanish, but cockroach in Portuguese. This can cause a lot of confusion. The list at the link above) will be very helpful your first few weeks here. Take this Tips for Moving to Lisbon and become fully fluent.

2. Get a fidelity card from the local Market

This will help you to save tons of money. Most of the supermarkets offer a fidelity card. As of right now, I believe Corte Ingles is the only market that does not.

Most cars in Portugal are stick; those that are automatic are significantly more expensive. You want to do this before you get to Portugal because driving classes here cost in the thousands.

4. Hire a cleaning person

This is something that I recommend no matter where you live. It just helps you maintain your sanity, and if you work from home like we do – it saves time and aggravation. Cleaning services here are very affordable, so it is a worthwhile spend (the average cleaning person charges €30).

5. Hire a handyman

If you come from the US (like we did), you will find that home repair is different here. Walls are made of cement, locks are completely different and so is electrical wiring. Don’t experiment. Hire a professional and save yourself tons of grief.

6. Join Facebook Groups

If you ever have questions, you can always leave a comment here and ask, but there are also tons of great Facebook groups for expats where you can get advice when needed. A great group to start with is the LISBON Expat Group.

7. Join Lisbon Sub-reddits

Reddit is a fantastic resource. Check out r/portugal and the subreddit for your particular city to get plenty of advice and recommendations.

If you’re new to Portugal or a particular city, check out Meetup. It’s a fantastic way to meet people with like interests throughout the world.

9. Walk the city

The best way to get to know the city is by foot. Here, each Lisbon neighborhood is different and so are its people. You’ll also get to know shops, restaurants, and services you may not be able to find on Google.

10. Get Google Maps on your phone

It’s easy to get lost in Lisbon. Google maps is a gift from the gods and will help you navigate Lisbon’s labyrinthine streets. Make sure to check out topography so you can skip some hills. (iOS & Andriod)

11. Install Dulingo or Memrise on Phone

Then play with these apps daily, they will help you significantly to learn the language and get some of the intricacies down.

You’re going to come upon words that you just don’t know. This will be super handy and you’ll get plenty of use out of it.

13. Buy Index Cards before coming to Portugal

I’ve been unable to find index cards here in Lisbon. I’ve asked natives and shown them mine and they tell me they have never seen them before…so bring some with you. Why would you need index cards to do language training flashcards, to keep notes on recipes, to study history of Portugal. You can buy them online from Amazon.co.uk.

14. Go to Lidl

It’s a fantastic discount supermarket. They keep low stock of items and when sold out, they don’t re-stock. Great place to find things you can’t get elsewhere.

One thing I hate about Portugal is that if you have things shipped from the US (even gifts) you can get hit with huge taxes. Just makes it not worth it. There is no Amazon.pt, but you can purchase from uk or es. Just keep in mind that even if you are prime, you will have to pay for shipping on returns.

16. Get a Lawyer

Portugal loves paperwork. Invest in a good lawyer so you don’t miss a form or fill one out wrong. Doing so can cause you a ridiculous amount of time. You can find one by visiting various Facebook Groups or just looking for Advogados.

17. Get an Accountant

Portuguese tax law is complicated. Don’t mess around and get yourself an accountant. Lots of Lawyers are also Accountants. So feel free ask your lawyer.

18. Join your Junta/Freguesia

Each neighborhood (at least here in Lisbon) has a Junta da Freguesia. Once you join you can get discount cards for restaurants, join the neighborhood’s gym and get tons more advantages. I love my Freguesia.

19. Get a parking permit

As Lisbon grows in population, parking gets more and more complicated. If you are not a resident – meaning you don’t have a lease & nif, you can go to the Emel office. There you can get a Cartão Viva Parking card that you can add value to and park in designated areas throughout the city. Once you’re a resident, you will be able to get a resident’s parking card for your neighborhood.

20. Find a Seamstress

There are tons all over Lisboa. However, they are pretty expensive (one of the few services that are). If you find a fairly priced one, treat them like gold. Expect to pay 5 euros for a shirt, 10 for hem on a jean and bit more for complex items.

21. Get a dry cleaner

It took us a while to find a good dry cleaner. Most of the local ones gave us back our clothes still dirty. Hate to say to go corporate, but 5-a-sec has been fantastic and there are a few throughout the city.

Back in the day, the city would close down on certain holidays. While this is no longer the case, you still need to know what closes and what doesn’t.

23. Get a fiscal number (NIF)

You need a NIF for pretty much everything. If you are coming from outside of Lisbon and haven’t lived here for 5 years, you may be eligible for an NHR residency (which prevents double taxation). I’ve heard this will be taken away in 2018, so keep your eyes open.

24. Learn the Metric System

Like most other sane countries in the world, Portugal lives on Metric & Celcius. Learn it, live it, embrace it.

25. Keep your receipts organized

Can’t tell you how many times I have paid a bill to get that bill back in the mail saying I owe money. Do not throw out receipts. Get a good filing cabinet and keep those receipts organized. Normally I’d say scan, but Portuguese offices love to ask for original copies.

PRO TIP: EDP Electric bill Is yourshockingly high? It could be an estimate bill. Go to the EDP with your reading to get it cleared up.

26. Keep your paperwork organized

Paperwork is important in Portugal. Keep all your paperwork organized. Chances are you’ll need it often. Get a folder organizer from one of the various Chinese stores or even Staples.

27. Get a Post Office Box

Remember how I said you can order from Amazon. Issue is the delivery dates are never accurate. I’ve had them say that an item was coming on a particular date, but it shows up early. If you have stuff shipped to you, it is safer to have it shipped to a PO Box. You can do a Mailboxes etc (there is one in Campo de Ourique) or at the CTT (the Portuguese Post office). The issue with the later is that they only hold items for 7 days, so if you’re headed out for a longer amount of time, your package may get sent back.

This was fairly easy to do. It’s important to get because you’ll need one if you plan on purchasing property. It is also helpful because you get an ATM which allows you to pay at places that don’t have processors for American credit cards.

29. Learn to pay your bills with Mulitbanco (ATM)

You can pay your bills at the ATM. It’s pretty simple (as soon as you learn a little Portuguese). There isn’t an english option unless your using an American or UK debit/credit card.

Blanca and I have been coming to Portugal for years. We made the official move here in May. If you’re planning to visit or relocate here, there is tons of valuable info on this blog.

32. Get a rental car

Rental cars can be super cheap. I’ve rented for as little as €4per day. It’s cheaper than buying (rates do go up in the high tourist season). There are many aggregators out their for cheap car rental. Just google around.

33. Find a place to live

Or an apartment or hours. Idealista is a fantastic site for this. Most realtors list their properties there. If you are looking for easier to work with you can try Airbnb. Most places will do longer term rentals and even you can negotiate annual ones. If you are looking rent, we’ve put together a thorough guide on how to find an apartment rental in Lisbon.

34. Get the entertainment guide to city

There are tons of things to do in Lisbon. Don’t miss out.

35. Sell your stuff online

OLX is a version of Craigslist here, but I find that using Facebook groups like this one is a lot easier.

36. Travel to Espanha (Spain)

It’s so darn close. Enjoy its proximity (but only after you have explored Portugal). Easiest ways to get there are driving/busing for about 5 hours, take a 1 hour flight. I prefer to fly.

37. Travel to the Alentejo Region

The Alentejo is like Tuscany. There are beautiful landscapes, great wine, and fantastic food. Did I mention beaches? Yup. There are great beaches near Lisbon in the Alentejo too.

38. Travel to Porto

Porto is a lovely town. It is smaller than Lisbon and is known for its fantastic wines. Go there in the Summer when it is cooler than Lisbon to escape the heat.

39. Get an international drivers license

There are different rules on what makes you legal to drive in the EU. Just get an international license so you don’t run into any issues. If you’re from the US, you also need to change your US driver’s license to a Portuguese one within 90 days of getting your residency, so do that immediately after. The process is a bit complicated.

40. Get an NHR if eligible

I mentioned this earlier. The NHR makes it some people who become residents of Portugal become tax-free both in Portugal and in the country of source of the income. Totally worth looking into.

41. Hire a dog walker

If you have a dog, it is so worth it to have a dog walker. It will save you time and you’ll have someone who knows your pup well if you need to travel. We found some easily on Lisbon Expats groups on Facebook.

42. Find an artist studio

If you’re moving to Portugal, it’s probably because you’re searching for a better quality of life. There’s no better time than now to get creative. You can rent small apartments for being a studio or if you are near LX Factory there are studio places you can join.

43. Buy some land

While prices have jumped (especially in Lisbon and Porto), it is still a good time to invest in land in Portugal. Especially if you go a little outside those two cities. Grab yourself a nice modular architect and build your dream home.

44. Buy some property

Maybe you don’t want to deal with the stress of starting from scratch. There are plenty of beautiful properties you can buy too. Just expect prices to increase the more you wait.

Portugal is a great place to learn that skill you’ve always wanted to learn. Be it art classes, dancing or fencing, pricing here leaves you with no excuses.

46. Take an acting class

See the above.

47. Learn a random skill

See the two above.

48. Sail the Tejo (Targus) River

The Tejo is Lisbon’s river. It is gorgeous, it is clean and makes for a wonderful adventure.

49. Go Clubbing

People in Lisboa like to party, so don’t be shy and join in the fun.

50. Hack travel

You’re in Lisbon. This means you have access to the EU. Enjoy some travel. Start off by getting to know Portugal and then take trips to the rest of the member countries. Flights can be as cheap as 35 Euros.

Have questions on Lisboa? Ask us in the comments.

More Tips for Moving to Lisbon

Yeah, so there’s tons more you need to know, so we’re adding more tips. Here goes!

All businesses have a Portuguese complaint book (aka – livro de reclamações). This is not where you go to leave a review about how bad your meal was, but where you go to complain if you are being cheated or defrauded. It’s incredibly helpful and threatening to use it will usually get the business owner to set things right.

29 Comments

I have visited Lisbon – lovely city! I have not moved there but I have to Spain and love your tips! My favourites have to be take an art class! There is some amazing street art and tours in Lisbon it is such a creative city! My second favourite tip is learn basic phrases – as manners really do go a long way – alternatively Spanish as many Portogeuse (can’t spell) people speak it and it is easier to learn.

I’m sooo glad I found you! My husband and I plan to spend 3 months in Portugal, probably Lisbon to start come 2019 so PLEASE don’t stop blogging! We fell in love with this country 10 years ago when we visited Madeira for a week and then travelled the mainland for a week. We adopted a kitten who found us on Madeira and plan to bring him back ‘home’ when we travel. After all, he has a passport! I know how to do the pet travel part, but am curious about whether you think we should get a visa or just utilize our pass port and stay only 90 days. I will utilize your 50 tips as needed.

Same here. I fell in love with Portugal on day 1 and kick myself for not doing this sooner. It is such a lovely country and its people are soooo nice. Haven’t made it to Madeira…yet…would love to get your tips 😉

If you’re coming for only 3 months (assuming that you’re coming from the US) you don’t need a visa (unless the rules change – there may be changes coming from the EU because the US did not extend the same visa requirements to some of the member nations). Last I checked you’re a-ok. Before I had asked for my extended visa, I would fly out to Croatia (another gorgeous country – and do some time there to re-set the requirements).

If you have any other specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us (Antonio & me) 🙂

So sorry to be now replying. It has been very hectic here.
Thank you so much for your reply. I do know about the 3 months and have reviewed some of the work for application for long term residency status.

Could you recommend a real estate agent in Lisbon? We just want to rent a spot/flat for 3 months – mid January to mid April 2019. We will be coming with Vasco kitty. I have looked on Craigslist and Airbnb. Perhaps those are the way to go, but thought I’d ask.

I will need to research a vet before I get there just in case. I wonder if Dr. Raquel Fino is still on Madeira or left the island???? Research is required.

I have joined an expat site and will enquirer there as well for advise.

We loved Madeira. We stayed in a friends place in Pinta Del Sol, loved Ribera Brava as well. Val here is quainte as well as Camara Del Lobos (?) where Pope John Paul visited the church there. Nonetheless, the whole island was just fabulous. This is where Vasco came from. We drove the whole island in a week and feel we did t touch the surface.

No worries. I know how crazy things can get when you’re relocating. For renting out a spot for three months, you’ll have a much easier time with Airbnb. Most realtors won’t touch any short-term rentals. They are paid by the landlords who prefer to have long-term rentals to ease the cost of the realtors. I’ll ask around my group of friends to see if anyone is planning to leave their flat during that time 😀

I haven’t made it to Madeira, but I’m planning a trip there soon. Thrilled to hear you loved it…and I feel like most of Portugal is like that. I’ve been in Lisbon so long between my previous visits and this relocation and I am still discovering new things.

Well hello once again! I hope my message finds you well. My husband retires at the end of this year and I am currently searching for our place to stay. I’m curious is there is anyone there that I could pay that could tell us about the couple of places that I am looking at from a distance. Most seem to be in the Graca/Mouraria area. Claude is a little skittish and really doesn’t want to make an unpleasant mistake for 3solid months. Any advice you can share is appreciated.

Realtors are starting to work with people on this. They will visit apartments for you and send you virtual tours. Graca and Mouraria are up and coming. I love the Mouraria. It was known for being sketchy, but I like a touch of sketchy…and martim moniz square is there.It really depends on what you like. Just know that both of those neighborhoods are quite hilly. Here’s my guide to neighboods – that may help http://blancavalbuena.com/top-ten-neighborhoods-lisbon-portugal/

You can also say in the UK to do the visa run for another 90 days. Though Portugal is very good about extending people an extra 90 days on top of the first 90 days. Especially if you are traveling the country. Just go to the SEF, make an appointment and ask for a tourist visa extension.

Thank you for your reply. I hope that we can meet for drinks or something when we arrive next year. I will keep in touch and it’s nice to talk to a local. Now I’m waiting to hear from the embassy regarding court experiences for my husband who is retiring from 34 years of being a judge. I can’t wait!

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About Me

My name is Blanca and I run a few startups called FriendsEAT and Socialdraft. I travel alot. I have lived in 10+ countries and visited over 30+. Currently I live in Lisboa, Portugal. You can follow my thoughts and experiences on this blog. Hope to hear from you.

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Travel with Blanca is owned by Binary Bits, LLC. This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.